


We Are One

by omegas



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: EXO AU, M/M, eventual kaisoo just wait on it, powers au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-08
Updated: 2017-11-04
Packaged: 2019-01-10 12:07:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12298929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/omegas/pseuds/omegas
Summary: In a world full of superheroes and supervillains, all Do Kyungsoo really wants to do is bake bread and pastries. When a member of the vigilante group EXO is kidnapped by the city's most infamous crime organization, the Red Force, Kyungsoo gives up his peaceful life to use his powers to help EXO get him back.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hello and welcome to my first multi chapter fic!! i hope you enjoy it!
> 
> inspired by the following prompt from the-story-shards-universe on tumblr:  
> "In a world full of super heroes and super villains, magic and miracles, all you really want to do is bake bread and pastries."

In a world full of superheroes, supervillains, magic, and superpowers, all Do Kyungsoo wanted to do was bake bread and pastries.

A small bakery sat in a quieter corner of the city, far from the hustle and bustle of downtown. Its sign hung over the brown-and-white awning read _Kyungsoo's Konfections_ ; the play on 'confections' making the owner giggle some mornings as he opened up the shop.

Kyungsoo's shop was a casual, homely place where all people from all walks of life would come for a sweet treat, warm coffee or hot cocoa, and a place to chat. The quiet atmosphere would sometimes be shattered by Kyungsoo slamming a door too forcefully, or placing a ceramic mug down on a table so harshly it shattered. It inspired one of his rambunctious employees to put a warning sign on the front counter; _Owner Has Super Strength. Do Not Be Alarmed If Something Breaks_.

In a world where superpowers were incredibly common, the caution sign deterred no customers. In fact, Kyungsoo found some of his regulars to be outspoken young men with various powers; one being able to glow like a lantern, another pouring water into his empty coffee mug for himself, a man with soft features forming ice cubes with the help of the water-wielder. There were eight of these men, Kyungsoo counted. They would come in and out sporadically, but would chat about one another when they sat at their tables.

On this quiet Saturday afternoon, all eight of the young men assembled; one arriving late, teleporting right into one of the well-loved armchairs in the corner of the shop. Kyungsoo watched them from behind his counter while he prepared drinks, listening is as they told stories about one nearly burning the kitchen down and another blinding them with light. _It was dark!_ the light-wielder argued.

One by one, Kyungsoo placed ceramic mugs onto a wooden tray; each cup of coffee slightly different for each man. With his strength, Kyungsoo gracefully lifted the tray and carried it to the coffee table seated in the midst of a five-seater sectional and two armchairs. The men gratefully took their drinks while singing the owner's praises, then dove back into their own conversation.

While cleaning dirty cups, Kyungsoo overheard their chatter dissipate into whispers. One man with a low voice whispered a little too loud, causing the light-wielder to smack his arm to shut him up. They continued murmuring to themselves for a while, and Kyungsoo served other customers. Once he was back behind the counter, one of the power-bearing men sauntered up to him.

He was tall and Kyungsoo looked up at him from the circular rims of his glasses. "How can I help you?"

He didn't say a word as he reached into the pocket of his leather jacket. He produced a small card, sliding it across the counter face-down. After shooting Kyungsoo a wink, he said, "Call me. We should speak in private."

Kyungsoo watched the stranger return to his seat, pulling the card into one hand. When he flipped it over, he read it once; then again, slower, as his eyebrows knit together.

 _EXO --_ EX'TRASENSORY _ORGANIZATION_  
_DEDICATED TO BRINGING POWERFUL YOUTH TOGETHER TO DEFEAT THE RED FORCE_  
_CALL CHANYEOL AT 02-XXX-XXXX_

A groan caught itself in Kyungsoo's throat as he read 'The Red Force' over and over again.  
He just wanted to bake bread.

~

Ah, yes, the Red Force. Only the city's most infamous organized crime gang.  
After learning more about EXO, Kyungsoo couldn't help but roll his eyes at their determination. They were a group of vigilantes, taking the modern-day mafia on themselves so they would terrorize the city no more. A typical superhero-versus-supervillain story.

Kyungsoo didn't find himself interested. He just wanted to bake bread and pastries.

On a cool weekday morning, Kyungsoo found his neighborhood streets eery. A fog hung over the city, along with a thick air of anxiety. A somber morning newscaster told Kyungsoo one of the Red Force's many lackeys committed a string of murders while the city slept, and the criminal was still on the loose; as were many Red Force personnel. Citizens were encouraged to stay in their homes until further notice.

The warning didn't deter Kyungsoo, though, as he made the quick trip down the street to his shop. As soon as the bells above the door jingled to welcome him, an air of peace consumed him. It was him, his confections and his thoughts for the day; and he hadn't a complaint in the world.

_Ch-ing!_

The hasty sound of bells caused Kyungsoo to spin around on one heel, nearly dropping the loaf of cinnamon bread in one oven-mitted hand.  
There, in the doorway with his chest heaving, was...the water-wielder from EXO?

"How can I help you?" Kyungsoo sat his bread aside for now, voice full of concern.

He stumbled towards the counter, throwing his heavy body onto is as he tried to catch his breath.  
"...Our friend," he panted, "...Lay, his name is Lay. He was...taken by the Red Force."

"Huh!?"

The stranger looked up, full of desperation. "M-My name is Suho. I'm EXO's leader. You...You have a power too, you have your strength, you can help us find Lay. Please. I'm begging you."

Kyungsoo stumbled over his words, trying to form any coherent thought. He never used his powers for anything more than moving furniture and helping people on the street retrieve things from under their cars. You know, anything that wasn't combat-related.  
"How would I even help you?"

Suho caught his breath now, using cold water produced by a fingertip to cool his face. "This is the Red Force we're talking about. We need a fighter, and all the help we can get. ...Lay was our healer."

Kyungsoo hummed; suddenly, it all made sense.  
He puffed out a sigh. "They took your healer from you to make you more vulnerable, so they can take you out. I...I understand."

"So, you'll help?"

Kyungsoo's voice was full of remorse as he groaned, "I will."

Suho's entire demeanor perked up immediately, and he waved frantically for Kyungsoo to come over the counter. "There's no time to waste!"

~

Suho lead Kyungsoo into the heart of the city, the sounds of their shoes slapping pavement echoing through empty alleyways as they rushed to what Kyungsoo assumed was EXO's quarters. A short elevator ride in one of the city's countless high-rise apartment buildings leads the pair to the door of apartment 48-B.

The door creaked open, revealing now six men sprawled across sofas and couches awaiting their leader's return. Their eyes were dull, but when Suho stepped aside to reveal Kyungsoo, every member began to look a little more alive.

Kyungsoo made himself comfortable among his new allies, and their leader dove right into the story of Lay's disappearance.

A jewelry store in the suburbs was in the process of being robbed by none other than a pair of the Red Force's goons. Lay and the EXO member with the power to teleport, Kai, were the first on the scene; ready to apprehend the criminals and hold them until the city police arrived.

That robbery ended up being a trap for EXO which they walked right into. While attempting to disarm one thief, Lay was struck on the side of the neck and rendered unconscious. Kai nearly suffered the same fate, but teleported back to HQ before it could happen. The fate of Lay and his whereabouts remained a mystery.

"They're probably holding him in their HQ," Kyungsoo said flatly.  
Seven pairs of eyes stared at him. He looked around, whispering, "What?"

"Nobody in the city, let alone the country, has any idea where the Red Force HQ is," one of the younger members was blunt, "It's impossible to trail them."

"How do you know it's impossible?" argued Kyungsoo.

"We've tried," insisted the one Kyungsoo recognized as Chanyeol, "Tried and failed, over and over again."

Kyungsoo chewed the inside of his cheek as he digested the information. Silence hung over EXO, the slightest tinge of hopelessness floating in the air.

Kyungsoo leaned forward in his seat, attracting the focus of everyone in the room. He told himself, he didn't want to get involved. He just wanted to bake bread and pastries and live a normal life despite his abnormal strength. But, he refused to sit on the sidelines and allow his regulars to suffer.

"Hear me out," he began. The men leaned forward themselves, already entranced.  
Kyungsoo's hands followed his words as he said, "The Red Force recognizes you all, so they'll make sure to keep their guards up when you all are around. But, they don't know me. To them, I'm just a baker."

Chanyeol clapped his hands in realization, pointing a finger to Kyungsoo and interrupting him with, "If you trail them, you won't be suspicious!"

"That's right!"

A wave of realization and relief rushed over EXO, the release of tension causing them to sink back into their seats.

Suho clapped Kyungsoo on the shoulder, jerking him a bit as he asked, "So, you'll join EXO to help us retrieve Lay?"

Kyungsoo didn't hesitate when he firmly nodded. Suho shot him an ear-to-ear smile, happy to welcome him.

All eyes in the room watched as Suho stood, taking a stand in the center of the room. "While you're with us, Kyungsoo; I think it is only appropriate you take on a nickname. A codename, of sorts."

The group hummed in interest, making hushed side-comments and glances at Kyungsoo.

"What's your surname?" Chanyeol chimed in.

"Do."

Chanyeol snapped his fingers, pointing one at Kyungsoo again. "We'll call you D.O."

EXO hummed in agreement, and Suho declared, "It's settled. Welcome to EXO, D.O!"

Kyungsoo still had cold feet that became even colder when Suho went around the room to introduce EXO. Chanyeol, the fire-wielder with firey red hair to match; Sehun, the wind-manipulator with model-like looks; Xiumin, whose gaze was always the opposite of his icy powers; Chen, who produced lightning storms in his free time; Kai, who teleported himself and other objects to and 'fro in the EXO HQ; and last, but not least, there was Baekhyun, a light-manipulator who always seemed to glow.

Kyungsoo -- now D.O with superhuman strength and the ability to move mountains -- couldn't believe what he was getting himself into as he was welcomed into EXO with open arms.

He just wanted to bake bread and pastries and live a peaceful life.


	2. Chapter 2

3:00 a.m.  
The city was fast asleep. Eight pairs of boots made their near-silent way down alleyways and up fire escapes, their only light source the bio-luminescence of Baekhyun as he leads the group through the familiar cityscape.

It was the Red Force, as usual, cornering their next victim in an alleyway behind a hole-in-the-wall bar. Kai and Chanyeol stood in the shadows of a fire escape, ready to pounce when push came to shove. D.O somehow found himself there too, hidden behind Kai's tall stature and peering down on the scene.

"You owe us 300,000!" a loan-shark screamed in his terrified customer's face, "Either you pay up now, or you have to pay with your life!"

The victim wailed. "Y-You can have my car, my house; anything! Just please, let me live! I have a wife and child at home!!"

The second loan-shark cocked his gun and pressed the cool barrel into his victim's temple. "You should'a thought of that before you never paid us back, huh?"

D.O's heart jumped when the loan-shark's finger inched closer and closer to the trigger. He felt Kai's firm grip in the back of his shirt, and in an instant, the two lurched forward.

D.O didn't have to think twice when he reeled back and used all his might to land a solid punch in the center of the loan-shark's abdomen. The stranger flew, catapulted through brick walls and into the small bar. Straggling patrons yelped, and a bartender cursed in a language D.O did not recognize.

He stood in stunned silence for a moment, looking down at his balled-up fist. Not even a scrape, but he watched as his victim was thrown into a chair by two patrons, head wobbling like a bobble-headed doll. D.O huffed as he caught his breath. _Did...I really just do that?_

A wall of fire encased the remaining Red Force goon, Chanyeol now standing on the ground and admiring his handiwork.

"Don't gawk," came Kai's voice in D.O's ear, "keep an eye on that lackey. He'll try to make a break for it."

D.O nodded in affirmation, pressing close to what was left of the brick walls, hiding in the shadows. He watched intently as the loan-shark stumbled upon standing, waving off any help, insisting he would be fine.

Then, there it was. He was making a break for it.  
Without a word to his partners, D.O took off through the hole in the bar. The bartender shouted at him again, but he let it fall on deaf ears.

D.O kept his pace slow as he watched the disoriented man stumble down the sidewalks, towards the empty former industrial district of the city. D.O dared to break his gaze upon the Red Force member as he heard footsteps behind him.

There was Kai, pressing a finger to his lips and pointing for D.O to pay attention. He did as he was told, and watched as the man slipped onto the main street leading directly towards the industrial district.

"How can he be so obvious?" Kai laughed, "Taking a main route instead of shortcuts?"

After peering around the corner of a marble pillar, D.O said, "They must be confident nobody will find their hideout."

Their quest led them to a long-abandoned factory that sat hollow and dark. From an alleyway across the street, D.O and Kai watched as the lackey spoke a few words to a man dressed in all-black. The guard gave the lackey a nod, and a rickety door opened to allow him inside.

D.O hummed to himself, attracting Kai's curiosity.  
"I have an idea," D.O said, "...We should return to the others."

"Are you sure?" Kai was hesitant.

D.O turned to look his companion in the eyes and nodded firmly. Kai gave a single nod in reply, before gripping D.O's shoulders, and they lurched forward.

D.O stumbled upon arriving at the bar their journey began at, teleportation still a foreign sensation to him. Once he regained his balance, he was grabbed by the shoulders by Xiumin.  
"What did you find out?" he asked.

"They have a hideout in the old industrial district," Kai answered for D.O, "But...D.O wanted to tell everyone something, right?"

D.O nodded, motioning for the five other members to come close. Once a semi-circle enclosed D.O, he began, "That hideout in the old warehouse probably isn't their only hideout, let alone their headquarters. It's too...out in the open."  
Suho agreed, nodding for D.O to continue.  
"What we must do, is trail multiple Red Force members."

"And see where they all end up going," chimed in Chen.  
D.O nodded in affirmation.

"Which won't be hard," added Sehun, "because they're the most active criminals in the city."

"Now we're talking!" exclaimed Baekhyun, rubbing two hands together in glee.

The leader ordered everyone back to the HQ apartment, the eight forming a human chain with hands on shoulders. Kai used his power to teleport everyone to safety, and once inside, D.O mulled over what really just happened out there. Did the Red Force know his face now, because of the one he and Kai trailed right back to safety? Was their plan to rescue Lay already foiled?

~

  
D.O was made at home in the spacious EXO residence, a spare room on one of the two floors the men called home converted into his personal space for the time being. By day, D.O and EXO lived average lives; D.O happily running his bakery, and EXO making themselves at home on the shop's furniture.

By night, the eight would remain hot on the Red Force's trail.

Their adventures, headed by none other than Suho, raced them all across the city. From the same warehouse from days ago, to a luxury high-rise's penthouse and even the basement of the city's most popular nightclub.

A map of the city hung on the wall of EXO's living room, _x_ marking the spot of Red Force hideouts. The twisting and turning dotted lines told EXO that finding the Red Force, and ultimately Lay, would not be as easy as previously thought.

Nearly a week passed since Lay was abducted, and Suho was beginning to lose his composure. EXO lost three members before; just up and disappeared, never heard from again. Suho took a blow then that he never truly recovered from, and the thought of losing another made his stomach churn.

Every EXO member was aware of this and made it their number-one priority to find Lay. Hours and hours were spent pouring over maps of the city, layouts of clubs and apartment complexes; the works, until the members finally succumbed to exhaustion for the night.

As the members slept, one crept around the apartment. He was light on his feet as he lifted a set of keys from a bowl near the door. He shocked himself on the doorknob on the way out, still not making a sound.

When the door clicked shut in his wake, a restless Chanyeol stirred from his resting place on the sofa. One eye opened to peer at the door for a few moments. Slowly, the other opened, and he sat up to look around.

Fast asleep on the couches were Baekhyun, Sehun, Kai, D.O, Xiumin and previously himself, Suho retired to his bedroom. Chen...was gone.

Chanyeol rolled his eyes and laid back down to fall asleep.  
Chen always disappeared like this, in the dead of night. Nothing out of the ordinary.


	3. Chapter 3

Chen did not stumble through the door of the apartment until well into the morning. Eyes formerly trained on maps and tablet computers all turned up to look at him. He shrugged casually as he slid a set of keys into the pocket of his jacket. D.O's eyes were trained on Chen as he fumbled through the refrigerator, retrieving milk for the cereal he poured with another hand.

"This is normal," said Kai's voice close to D.O's ear, "he leaves late and comes home late every once in a while."

D.O searched Kai's eyes for more detail. He didn't find what he wanted, so he went back to looking at the screen of his tablet. After thinking it over, D.O realized Chen was infamously tardy to his bakery, too. The EXO members would be seated for nearly an hour before he would come bouncing in, looking fresh-faced and ready to take on the day. D.O would always keep an eye on him, would watch as he tracked in dirt and other almost reddish substances on his boots, would see as he rubbed a shoulder or a knee that would bother him.

D.O's contemplating was cut short when Suho stood in the center of the living room, commanding the attention of EXO. Days and days of trailing Red Force operatives lead EXO to this moment, the moment when they were finally to raid one hideout, and get their member back.

Suho handed folded sheets of paper to each pair of members as he explained, "This is the layout of the warehouse in the industrial district. We concluded that if they were to hold any prisoners, they would hide them in the basement. The boiler room would be the second-best bet. Memorize that layout, and we'll leave at dusk."

The members hummed in acknowledgment, and Suho made his leave. The teams of two departed to bedrooms to study in seclusion while Kai and D.O sank further into the sofa. Kai's breath fanned D.O's neck as he peered over his shoulder, warmth pressing into his companion's body when Kai leaned forward to trace escape routes with his finger. D.O felt his breath hitch in his throat.

Overwhelmed with the sudden warmth in the room, D.O excused himself to crank the air conditioning down a few degrees. Cool air blew onto his neck from the vent, and he sighed in relief. As he began to turn away, something caught his ear that made him stay.

"Tonight," he heard the faint voice of Chen say, while he played with the thermostat to appear busy, "Yes. Yes, that location..."

D.O heard the creaks of a bedroom door down the hall, and he rushed back to Kai's side. Kai shot him a curious look before his attention was taken away by none other than Chen.

"I'll see you then," D.O saw right through Chen has he played his conversation off, before sliding his smartphone into the pocket of his jeans.

"Making late-night plans with one of your friends again?" asked Kai.

Chen shrugged, his signature move. "They need me to help them move tonight."

_Yeh, move Lay to another facility so we never find him_ , D.O wanted to grumble.  
"Don't hurt your back," is what he said instead.

Chen gave a wordless thumbs-up and returned to his business.  
D.O and Kai did so too, but in the back of his mind, D.O couldn't stop thinking about Chen. _Was he really a traitor?_

When only seven members were present to depart for the Red Force hideout, D.O didn't find himself surprised. A black cargo van sat outside the apartment complex which they piled into, Chanyeol and an arsenal of weaponry in the front seat; just in case, he insisted. As the van lurched forward and the city lights sped past them, D.O found his palms sweaty and his heart racing. His mortality hit him with every bump in the road and every red light Chanyeol would pick-and-choose to run or not.

A reassuring hand came to massage his shoulder under his dark jacket. He turned and met the soft eyes of Kai, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. Seeing that made D.O smile a little, too. Their eye contact broke, but Kai's grip didn't. The van lurched over a rather intense bump, Chanyeol's faint apology smothered by Kai's shoulder pressing close to D.O's ear. His arm came to rest around his shoulders, and neither man moved for the duration of the ride.

The warehouse was lit with purple and red lights, sounds of conversation leaking out of the cracks in the shattered windows. Chanyeol switched the headlights off as they approached, opting to park around the block and out of sight.

When the group gathered on the sidewalk, there was a solemn look on Suho's face that reflected upon the others immediately. He held out a hand palm-down, and EXO stacked their hands onto his, Chanyeol's at the apex.  
"No matter what happens in there," the leader was firm, "We are one. Always."

In unison, EXO replied, "We are one!"


	4. Chapter 4

The inside of the warehouse was covered in deafening silence once EXO stepped inside. Lights danced across the walls and their boots squelched in a foreign liquid with every step. Baekhyun held an orb of light like a flashlight as he scanned ahead, peering around corners then back to EXO to direct them forward. There were no signs of life anywhere, the only trace of humanity being the trail of dark-colored liquid that lead EXO to none other than...

"The cellar," D.O stepped forward upon seeing the heavy wooden door covering the entrance. With a single heave, he flung the stressed wood upwards.

The sound of a voice's flinch from within the dark depths flung D.O down the stairs, Kai's exclamation about caution falling on deaf ears. D.O was followed quickly by EXO's lantern, his bio-luminescence enough to light the way through the muddy cellar.

A single long, nearly endless corridor laid before them. Doors sat mere inches apart from each other on either side, a single panel the only window into whatever lies beyond the steel doors. At the end was another steel door, heavily locked, but nothing D.O couldn't break through.

He charged. As he ran, he heard Baekhyun scream for him to "Stop!"

But, it was too late.  
D.O expected for the door to clatter down before him, for there to be more unending darkness. Instead, his eyes squeezed shut in intense light. The sounds of heart monitors and heels on tile filled his ears, the smell of medicine and cleaning agents overwhelming.

He went to move his arms, but they were chained. He looked down, tried to shake free of his restraints. Even by pulling with all his might, they wouldn't budge. What...happened to my strength?

The _wirr_ s of machines came into earshot. D.O was petrified, didn't move a muscle until a single metal claw was in his vision. The claw lunged forward, and D.O screamed when it punctured his chest; but, there was no pain. Horrified yelps escaped his lips while the metallic monster fished around in his chest.

From his body, it pulled a purple sphere from his chest. He barely caught its features before he lost consciousness.

"He's in there alone?!"

Baekhyun didn't meet his leader's eyes as he nodded slowly. Suho removed a pair of glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, chasing away a headache. "What was in the room he opened...?"

"I...didn't look--"

Suho didn't bother to respond as he pushed passed Baekhyun, his members following him closely down the stairs and through the haunting corridor. Suho peered into each window as he passed, knowing intimately what laid beyond the unsuspecting steel portals. He didn't dare step into the doorframe at the end of the hallway, opting to look inside from a distance.

The trail of blood lead all the way inside the room, and Suho shot a look to Xiumin over his shoulder. Xiumin nodded, leaning down and allowing a single finger to hover just above the grotesque river. The liquid froze, glowing as it did so. All eyes followed the trail, watched as it disappeared into the pitch-black room.

And stopped right at a pair of boots EXO recognized immediately.

"Lay!!" boomed the voice of Sehun, "Lay?!"

There was a weak cough, and a hoarse voice whispered, "Se...hun...?"

Sehun went to run inside, but was stopped by Suho's arm hitting his chest. "Don't go in," he warned, "it's a trap."

"But Lay might be in there for real!" Sehun argued.

"Yeah!" Chanyeol backed his friend up, "We have to go, Suho. We've been in and out of these illusions before! It's fine!"

"It wasn't fine for the other three we lost!!"  
Suho was fuming, fists shaking at his sides but not furthering the argument. He knew, no matter what, Chanyeol would go his own way. The lost members were the same way.

Chanyeol's expression was unreadable while he looked at Suho. He adjusted the pack of weapons on his back and shot a look to the other members. Wordlessly, they understood and formed a line behind him before pushing through that doorway.

~

D.O hated this. He was tired. He was sweaty. He was alone. All he wanted to do was go home, go back to baking bread and pastries, and living a normal life.

He escaped from nurses clad in blank sheets of uniforms, red visors barely hiding the glares they shot at D.O. He was dressed in a similar blank suit, the number _twelve_ printed onto the collar of his turtleneck. The hallways were silent as he ran through them, save the sounds of electric vibrations nearly shattering his eardrums when he hit invisible walls and had to turn back. With every step he took, his chest began to burn more and more. He wanted to cry. He wanted to go home. He even found himself wanting the feeling of Kai's arm around his shoulders again, pulling him close for comfort.

As his legs began to give out, and he was beginning to give up hope, a sight before him brought his hope back.

The end of the maze. A bright light. An open, hexagonal room reached its hand out to D.O, offering to give him relief.

It was a hand he would have taken if it weren't for a strong pair of arms that lifted him back onto his own two feet.

His head spun as he was looked over by none other by Kai. He brushed the dust off D.O's arms and shoulders, and looked him over for cuts or bruises. When he saw D.O was safe and sound, he huffed out a laugh. "Hi," he breathed.

"H-Hi," D.O's voice trembled, "Wh...Where are we?"

"One of the Red Force's illusions," said Kai as he took in his surroundings, "They always do this whenever they want us out of their hair for a while, or when they are trying to hide something. I've never been here before, but...they always have the same theme."

"Same theme?" D.O searched for more.

"They're hexagonal mazes," Kai looked straight into D.O's eyes, and a chill went down his spine, "and if you go towards the center, you're trapped forever. That's what happened to the three members we lost."

"...Then, how do we get out?"

Kai huffed out a sigh, and scratched at the back of his head. "We have to find the door we came in from. They took our powers, the Red Force; so I can't just teleport us to safety anymore. We have to be careful."

D.O nodded firmly. He took in his surroundings, noting endless hallways of doors that were mirror images of the one he broke down in that basement. One pair of double-doors had blinding light peeking out from its windows, and D.O swore he could see more blank sheets of suits laid in the hospital beds. He watched as an IV leading to a pale arm was filled with a black serum, and the patient began to quake under his restrains. D.O's stomach flipped.

He was taken away from the scene by Kai, a hand grabbing his own and pulling him along behind him as he ran. As they sped through a loop of endless corridors and endless possible escapes, D.O swore he saw the other members of EXO; swore he saw the light of Chanyeol's fire, or felt the cold of Xiumin's ice. In the windows of the endless doors, D.O even swore he saw the back of Lay's head, the man safe and sound in street clothes.

The pair hit a road block. The never-ending cycle of corridors and doors came to a screeching halt, their horizontal options now exhausted. They turned to face south, and there it was; _a way out!_ From the square window, they could see the EXO members as D.O left them in the basement of that old warehouse, chatting among themselves as they tried to figure out a game plan.

Kai lurched forward with D.O on his heels. But Kai stopped. He doubled-back, holding onto either side of the walls to support himself.

Three faceless nurses stood before the two, blocking their only path to freedom. D.O went to ask, "Now what?", but his words were caught in his throat when Kai took a stance before the nurses and did something D.O would have never expected.

"Now is not the time to dance, Kai!"

D.O was flabbergasted watching Kai perform the choreography, the dancer completely in his element; and completely confident that what he was doing would work. D.O watched as Kai swung his arms and legs in sweeping motions, watched as he flashed hand-horns towards the nurses, then to his chest.

The moment Kai's fists hit his chest, the nurses fell to their knees. D.O could see the smirk on Kai's lips as he made the same swinging motion with his arms again.

 _Poof!!_  
The nurses' heads exploded in a show of smoke and sparks, and in a flash, D.O and Kai were running again. Kai used D.O's hand to keep him close, while D.O held onto Kai's for dear life. Their sneakers slapping the tile under them rang in their ears, the loudest sound they'd ever heard only being drowned out when Kai used a shoulder to muscle through the door out.

Darkness consumed them again. They caught their breath, D.O's hands on knees and Kai's on his hips. They didn't bother to question why they were in the clothes they left the apartment in again, and when Kai tapped D.O's shoulder for him to stand straight, D.O found himself unsurprised yet again.

There stood Chen, a wooden bat dotted with nails dipped in a dark liquid following him on his heels. In the shadows behind him stood a thin figure that wobbled to-and-fro, threatening to crumble to the ground at any moment.

The figure coughed and groaned. D.O immediately perked up.  
"Lay!"

"What are you doing with him?!"  
Kai's demand echoed off the walls of the now pitch-dark warehouse, a single fist at his side shaking with anger.

Chen twirled his weapon around in his hands, before letting it settle onto a single shoulder. There was a smirk on his face that D.O found himself wishing he could punch right off. "You all were so easy to fool. Moving furniture? At night, so coincidentally when you were planning to come here?"

Kai looked frustrated, but D.O rolled his eyes. "I knew you were suspicious just from how you acted in my shop," D.O declared, "You would walk in like you owned the place, and just trailed dried blood all over my floors! There are bleach stains in the wood now because you're such a messy criminal!"

Chen's eyebrows furrowed as he stared D.O down. A jerk of a wrist shot electric bolts to the nails embedded in his bat, and D.O watched as Kai's eyed widened. D.O didn't find himself afraid as he rolled up the sleeves of his jacket, cracking his knuckles. If Chen had his power, D.O must too; two can play at the power game.

Chen swaggered towards D.O, and when he brought his fists up in a combative stance, Chen laughed in his face. "Those nurses took your powers! There's nothing you can do here!"

Suddenly, Chen lunged for D.O. He heard a loud yelp from Kai, and maybe a peep out of the weak Lay, but the shattering sound of what D.O assumed was his skull drowned it all out.


	5. Chapter 5

Was D.O...still alive?  
He listened as men shouted and cursed all around him, the volume of their voices threatening to split his head in two; assuming it was still in one piece. He tried to open his eyes, but there was no strength left anywhere in his body. Something warm and solid was pressed against D.O's cheek, and his body sank into it, letting it soothe him and muffle the war of words around him.

"How could you?!" a male voice cracked as it screamed, "Let me go!! Get back here, Chen!!"

D.O felt the ground sink as a body hit it with a thunk. He heard the slams of two metallic doors -- _the van's doors?_ \-- as they shut in the man's face. He heaved a sigh, and D.O felt his body heat when he came to rest at his side.

"Who's he?" D.O knew he was talking about him.

"D.O," Kai's voice answered, "He came to help us find you. He's...unconscious. It was Chen."

Lay cursed, punching the van's wall as it lurched forward. "...What are you guys doing here? Can't you still teleport, Kai?"

D.O felt as Kai shook his head; ah, so it was his chest he was resting on. That brought D.O some comfort. "They took our powers. All of us."

Silence filled the air. Lay and Kai must have shared some silent communication because D.O felt as Kai's hands shifted his weak body to sit him up. An intense, soothing warmth consumed D.O from the neck up, and he unconsciously let out a sigh. A sigh; his body could move again!

D.O went to sit up, but a gentle hand pressed him back into Kai's chest. Slowly, his eyes began to flutter open. He blinks blurriness away to reveal a face he felt like he hasn't seen in years.

There was a smile on Lay's face that D.O mirrored as best as he could. "Welcome back," his soft voice hummed.

D.O tried to speak, but his voice gargled. Lay shushed him, pressing a soft fingertip to his lips which jerked away when the van suddenly came to a stop.

Seven pairs of eyes watched as an individual dressed in all-black hopped out of the front seat, and came to swing one of the back doors open. A second person stood behind them, a bulletproof vest strapped to their chest. A gloved hand reached forward, towards the nearest EXO member.

"Leave Baekhyun alone!" it was Chanyeol who jumped out of his seat, eyes ablaze as Baekhyun was yanked out of his seat by a sleeve.

His fire was put out when cool gunmetal was pressed between his eyes. The slender barrel forced him back into his seat, his eyes crossed while he watched the metal leave an imprint in his skin.

Chanyeol's breath shook as the door slammed in his face. Suho cursed under his breath, Sehun grunting in agreement. Again, the van lurched forward, and EXO could only imagine where they were being taken.

~

Darkness.  
It surrounded Baekhyun as he was tossed by every bump in the road, the back of his head smacking the vehicle floor under him. He wanted to spark up some light, wanted to blind the drivers so he could get back to EXO and free them; but, while he was blindfolded, there was no way.

He felt the vehicle come to a halt. The door opened, and he was tossed onto his feet on the pavement. As he was pulled along by each shoulder, a male voice commented, "His power will serve us well."

"So well," agreed a female, patting Baekhyun's shoulder in a way that made him cringe, "RF-05 will finally get its start with him."

The hand formerly patting Baekhyun's shoulder threw him down on to his knees. A metallic wirr filled his ears, and he felt the knot tying his blindfold get a gentle tug. The sounds of clanging metal came ever closer, and Baekhyun could feel the ground rumble under his knees.

His head jerked back violently, and his blindfold was removed. He blinked blurriness away, eyes darting around but head not daring to make any sudden moves. When he finally stared ahead, he was face-to-face with gray metal decorated with a red script which read RF-05. A claw on a metal wire snaked its way above Baekhyun's head, and he didn't need to think twice to snap his eyes shut.

"Shit!"

"You took all of their powers except his?!"

Baekhyun felt the air heat up his skin as the male wailed, "My eyes! My eyes!!!"

The characteristic pop, sizzle, and scent of burning flesh consumed Baekhyun's senses. The screams of his abductors raised in nearly ear-splitting volume, before they switched off like a light.

Baekhyun's eyes fluttered open. He always felt lightheaded after he used his power for disastrous deeds, so he took his time getting back to his feet. He tried to jerk his hands from behind his back, but when they didn't budge he heaved an exhausted sigh. He threw his head back and groaned as he strained himself, focusing on using the intense heat of his light to burn through the ropes around his wrist.

When his hands were finally free, he rubbed his temples. One hand applied steady pressure as Baekhyun approached bodies of his captors. They were face-down, and Baekhyun's stomach flipped at the thought of their burnt faces pressed onto the concrete. A boot kicked the limp figure of the man, reluctantly heaving him onto his side to fully assess his profile. Baekhyun gagged.

He quickly stripped the corpse out of its uniform, opting to don it himself. In exchange, he let the stranger lay to rest in his own clothes; his identity so charred, whoever would discover him would not be able to tell the difference.

He pulled the visor down over his eyes and turned to face the next task. RF-05, which stared at him with a single crimson eye. Baekhyun shot a glare of his own right back, refusing to be scared by a hunk of metal.

The bot's arm swung around, looming over Baekhyun's head. Its three slender fingers rotated on a metal wrist, and a flash of colored light revealed a red orb -- _Chanyeol's power orb!_ Fire engulfed the bot's hand, but before it could hit Baekhyun with a blast, he scrambled out of the way.

Baekhyun pointed a palm towards RF-05, a beam of light flashing passed and disorienting the bot's single lens. The orb fell out of its grips with a hearty thunk, and Baekhyun decided to make a run for it. He shot more beams of light as he ran, free hand slipping to grab the bright-red object from the warehouse floors.

RF-05 wasn't pleased about that. Its arm swiveled and spun again, this time choosing a cyan orb that instantly cooled the air around Baekhyun. Ice shot out, landing near Baekhyun's boots and causing him to slip with every retreat attempt.

He was being backed into a corner, realizing it was actually a doorway when his arms came to catch him from his fall. He braced himself on the doorframe, refusing the robot the chance to throw him into another one of the Red Force's illusions.

His resistance was futile. A strong blast of ice hit him square in the chest, and he was blown off his feet. He didn't feel his back hit the same floor he stood on.

He soon realized he didn't feel his back hit anything. Air rushed past his ears, flapping the sleeves of the black jacket he now wore. The long sleeves covering his arms were no match for the freezing air all around him, and barely cushioned his heavy fall.

Glass and porcelain shattered. Baekhyun yelped, scrambling to wobbly feet the moment the ground was in sight. He dusted himself off and nursed a cut palm as he looked over the buffet table he crashed onto. Everything was bleached of its color, including the nine rounded chairs surrounding it. Beyond the grid of pillars surrounding the small dining room, there was nothing to be seen in pure darkness. Baekhyun cursed to himself and kicked a chair out of his way.

Without thinking, he ran. In any direction. Straight into the darkness, straight to where anything or anyone may be hiding. His dark shoes began to blend in with the concrete floors, his hands and arms disappearing along with him. Baekhyun felt as though he circled the abyss countless times; but how could he really tell?

Head hung low in frustration, he made his way back to the dining table. He didn't look up as he grabbed one of the chairs at the head of the table, and threw himself into it. Shoes slick with an unknown substance came to rest on the clean tablecloth, and when he finally looked up, he met a pair of eyes he would never have expected.

"Chen."

Chen was as still as a statue as he looked upon the shattered dishes, seeming to recline even further onto the heels of his palms when Baekhyun spoke to him.

"Why are you doing this?" Baekhyun demanded, "Why deceive us for so long?"

Chen shrugged in a way that made Baekhyun grind his teeth. "...If you can't beat 'em, join 'em," he finally said.

"And help them terrorize the city and eventually the rest of the country?" challenged Baekhyun, "Why us?!"

Chen looked over his shoulder and into the darkness fondly. "It was so we could build RF-05. ...The Force needs me for my power, and it needs EXO for yours, but we all know you wouldn't give them up easy. So, it was my job to spy on you all until we could reach a point where you were at your most vulnerable."

Baekhyun wanted to ask 'why', but his voice was caught in his throat when Chen turned to meet his eyes. "RF-05 is going to help us control the population with your power orbs. First the city, then the province...then the country. I gave them what they wanted, and in return, I was supposed to be spared from everything they wanted to do to EXO and the population."

Chen looked around himself with an unreadable expression, taking note of every detail of the tiny oasis in the abyss. "I guess they didn't hold up their end of the deal."

A silence fell over the two as Chen's eyebrows furrowed. He finally stood from his relaxed position, pacing until he frantically kicked a chair out of his way with an ear-shattering curse. He collapsed into an exhausted heap on the marble floors and groaned, "How are we even going to get out of here?"

"So now that you got scammed, you're having a change of heart?" exclaimed Baekhyun as he shot out of his seat.

"What the hell else can I do?" Chen's argument shut Baekhyun right up.  
Chen ran a frustrated hand through his hair and added, "...I might as well help you all get back home in one piece. It's the least I can do after I sold you out."

Baekhyun stared towards Chen, expression calm and unblinking. He didn't protest to Chen's proposal, instead saying, "...You're welcome to speak to Suho once we get out of here."

The shadow of a smile tugged at the corner of Chen's lips, and he made a mental note to use that opportunity to its fullest.


	6. Chapter 6

The landscape EXO found themselves in now was so neon-colored and bright it was almost blinding. Rubble of old buildings laid in heaps upon a purplish grid, the environment resembling an unfinished computer simulation. The members found themselves finally utilizing the weapons Chanyeol brought with them from home, each of them holding a gun close to their chests as the ran between hiding places.

A silver-and-orange robot with a bright red _RF-05_ printed on its side chased them into corners and effectively away from one another. EXO watched from safety as its single claw launched fireballs and sheets of ice, and scrambled across the futuristic battlefield when the bot would lurch forward as it teleported towards them.

D.O dodged neon-green shots as he stumbled for cover. He propped himself into a corner and retraced the shots back to Sehun, who spoke frantically into a walkie-talkie without watching where he fired his gun. Over the sounds of EXO's voices and the metallic _wirrs_ of the Red Force bot, D.O swore he could hear Sehun say Baekhyun's name.

D.O went to stand once again but was pushed back to his bottom by a strong hand that belonged to none other than Kai. D.O watched as Kai fired shot after shot towards the ever-approaching RF-05. The bot raised its arm to fight back, but a flash of blue caught its attention; it was Chanyeol, taunting and waving to it with a bright blue mop of a target on his head.

The bot began its chase with Chanyeol, and Kai's attention turned to D.O immediately. He helped his partner to his feet, checking over him for cuts and scrapes while asking, "You alright?"

D.O managed a nervous chuckle. "I am, now that you swooped in to save me."

Kai shot him a smile that made his heart race. His expression turned more serious when he turned to look in Sehun's direction. He pointed a finger to him and said, "He's communicating through Baekhyun with that walkie-talkie. The huge antenna was scrap metal, so we're lucky it works."

"Yeah?" D.O pressed for more information, "so, Baekhyun can get us out of here?"

"And reunite us with Lay and Chen," Kai finished, "but, we have to hold this robot off until Baekhyun can get to the machine that operates all of these illusions. ...It must be partially broken already; this illusion wasn't complete."

"Hence the grid..." D.O pondered.

An exclamation from Kai halted his train of thought. RF-05's attention was on them once again, and Kai shouted, "Fight now, think later!"

As he and his partner charged, a certain thought kept repeating itself in the back of D.O's mind.  
He just wanted to go home, to bake bread and pastries and live a peaceful life again.

~  
The Red Force's illusions were falling apart.

Baekhyun and Chen followed each other through hallways dotted with purple, red and blue grids, flashes of illusions of their past appearing in various doorways of this old warehouse. They ran passed an EXO football team, and EXO high school class, and even saw eleven figures dressed as priests from their home planet. But no doorway leads to the heart of the Red Force's operations, and as the pair's legs began to burn under their weight, they were almost beginning to lose hope.

A breeze from a fourth-story window hit their necks, allowing them a small moment of relief. Chen collapsed against the concrete wall, Baekhyun supporting himself on the opposite side of the corridor.

"We've checked everywhere," cried Baekhyun, "Every back closet, every tiny room. Why don't you know where the damn off switch is for this shit is?!"

"I didn't even know my boss' name, Baekhyun!" Chen snapped, "I'm trying to help you! Let me help!"

Baekhyun huffed, pushing sweat-matted locks away from his forehead. "The only place left to check is the roof," he grumbled.

Chen stood straight. "Let's try it, then."

Baekhyun was reluctant to follow Chen up a set of rickety metal stairs that cried out under their feet. The cold early-morning air was refreshing, putting an extra pep in the pair's step as Chen rushed towards a large circuit breaker.

Jolts of electricity made Chen's hands shaky as he pried the breaker's doors open, revealing a bright button that flashed between the colors of the rainbow. Every few moments, the flashing would stop to reveal a pure white, which made Baekhyun's heart leap every time he saw it; it was the color of his power orb.

Chen squatted down to be eye-level with the button, observing all the wires and cords that lead further into the core of the circuit breaker. An arm came to push Baekhyun away, and Chen stood again. Before Baekhyun could question his intentions, Chen gave the large metal box a shake.

Sparks flew from the box, and Chen's hair stood on end from the electricity. He bent himself down to shake the box again, this time with an ear pressed to the cool metal. An electric shock shook his body, but he was more surprised by the box's contents.

"Your...power orbs are in here," Chen said as he turned towards Baekhyun, "They're rattling around in there."

Baekhyun rubbed his cheeks and groaned. "Was it really that easy?"

"The Red Force is a lot of things," Chen said, "and smart is not one of them."

Baekhyun came to squat at Chen's side, flashing colors dancing on his complexion as he asked, "What should we do?"

Chen didn't answer at first, his eyes trained upon the flashing lights. He watched until the button turned white, and gave the button a firm press. Something within the metal box locked, then released. A power orb hit its floor with a heavy thunk.

Baekhyun watched as Chen went to the other side of the box, searching desperately for some kind of access point. But there was nothing, and he heaved a heavy sigh. A moment of hesitation had him running a hand through his hair before he looked towards Baekhyun and began to ask, "Did your power--"

The faint glow of Baekhyun's skin gave Chen his answer. When his skin lit up, so did Baekhyun's eyes, adrenaline running through his veins. Trilled attention went from glowing palms to the breaker's flashing button. "If we release the orbs, we'll give everyone their powers back."

"What are you waiting for?!" asked Baekhyun frantically, "Keep hitting those buttons!"

~  
EXO is cornered.  
Seven backs were pressed against a ruined wall, guns clutched in trembling hands. RF-05 swelled in height as it came closer and closer, its single arm waving in the air as if to say good-bye to the members.

The claw spun. A red glow was emitted from its center, and Chanyeol's power orb came into view. EXO felt the air around them heat up as they huddled together. In unison, seven pairs of eyes squeezed shut, anticipating their fate.

_THUNK!_

Chanyeol was the first to be startled by the noise, eyes snapping open. He looked to RF-05, who was just as flustered. A rolling orb caught Chanyeol's attention; _wait, an orb!_

He didn't think, just lurched for the orb, taking off in the opposite direction once it was in his hands. The signature heat, the black phoenix symbol; it was his, alright. An excited laugh burst out of him, much to the bot's displeasure. With his power back, Chanyeol wasn't afraid when the bot launched itself towards him.

Chanyeol used a pair of finger-guns to shoot fireballs at the bot, slowly leading it away from his friends. In a panic, EXO rushed around, some members cheering Chanyeol on and others lining up clear shots with any of the bot's possibly-vulnerable points.

D.O found himself in a hiding spot with Sehun, who was trigger happy as he shot round after round towards RF-05. D.O tried to shout something to him over the chaos, but it fell onto deaf ears more than once. D.O reached for one of Sehun's shoulders and gave it a shake to grab his attention.

"What?!"

It was D.O's turn to shout when he was knocked off his feet as one of Sehun's arms swang to face him. Sehun rushed to help his member back to his feet, and D.O felt a cool breeze on his cheeks with every movement his companion made. Sehun's frantic hands dusted debris from D.O's shoulders, but stopped in their tracks suddenly, all his movement traveling to his eyes as they widened.

"What?" D.O searched Sehun for answers.

Sehun didn't say a word. He checked D.O for injuries one last time before breaking into a sprint towards Chanyeol. D.O tried to shout after him, but gave up, opting to let out a frustrating sigh instead.

Chanyeol was still laughing as he lead RF-05 in circles, keeping the bot's single eye trained on him and only him. Dodging between flourishes of ice and rocks hurled at him, Chanyeol nearly lost his balance when he bumped into none other than Sehun.

"What are you--"

Chanyeol's question was caught in his throat when Sehun grabbed his wrist. Sehun set his outstretched palm next to his member's, and when he manifested another fireball, Sehun manifested the power of his own.

Chanyeol had to take a step back when his small fireball transformed into a blast so intense it stopped RF-05 in its tracks. When the flame dissipated, Chanyeol cheered and exclaimed, "Your power is back! Even without your orb?!"

"The robot must have released it, somehow," Sehun replied, "but, let's worry about that when we're safe."

Chanyeol didn't get a chance to reply when RF-05 broke out of its disorientation. Its claw began to glow a deep violet with a power orb D.O recognized as his own in the center, but the orb was knocked out of its grip by Chanyeol and Sehun's makeshift flamethrower.

D.O took the opportunity to sprint around the bot, scooping his orb up and clutching it to his chest as he took cover once again. His tired legs collapsed under his weight, his back coming to rest on the last wall left standing of an old home. After catching his breath, he sat up to watch Chanyeol and Sehun through the old window pane.

An intense wall of blue flame surrounded the Red Force's robot, its metal red and super-heated. Its claw swung frantically as Chanyeol's fire burned it piece by piece, the heat melting the bot from the inside out.

The desperate swinging began to lock up. The bot's joints tried to chug and chug, tried to get in one last attack using EXO's own powers, but everything came to a sudden stop. The crackling of Chanyeol's flames was the loudest sound on the battlefield now. Sparks started to fly from the bot, none penetrating an ever-growing wall of pure blue fire.

EXO could hear as the bolts and welding came undone from the bot, and covered their heads and necks when the bot finally met its demise. Flying debris never came, though; instead, a sphere of fire gave them a view of the bot expanding and bursting into a million pieces. Bolts, panels, gears and the bot's single hand still gripping onto its robotic life all came crashing to the ground in ear-shattering splatters.

The dust settled. There was calm, there was silence. Chanyeol stepped forward, his flame stepping aside to let him inside its walls. With one foot, he fished through the steaming debris, face blank and unreadable to the rest of his members. The air was thick with anticipation, which quickly turned into excitement when there was a multi-colored glow reflected onto Chanyeol's skin.

The wall came down, and the six rushed to surround him. Four voices cried in victory when they located the origins of the glows.

"Our orbs!" Xiumin was the first to speak as he scooped up two blue, one purple, and one gray orb into his arms.

When they were finally in the hands of their owners, and all seven were reunited with their powers, there was an air of security and relief. Lay was back, their powers were back. Only one thing remained.

While EXO's healer checked the members over for injuries, their leader made it his job to find an exit. An old doorway, a trap door; anything that would take them back home.

Suho's desperate search came up empty, and he found himself the center of attention in a circle of his members. They were exhausted, deep circles forming under their eyes and yawns so intense they would rock from side to side. Kai found himself fast asleep in D.O's lap, D.O himself fighting to keep his eyes open. Suho felt hopeless and tense; there was something he had to do. Anything to get his members home.

_Anything..._

Without his control, Suho's body came to lay on his back. He stared up into the night sky, which was painted with a faint orange with early-morning light. He absentmindedly wondered what day it was, and exactly how long he and EXO have been away.

He didn't get to complete his thought before he fell fast asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we've reached the final chapter; thank you all for your interest and support!! enjoy ♡  
> 

"There we go!"

Chen tossed a crowbar onto the concrete as he finally pried the back of the breaker box open. Out rolled seven spheres, and Chen went to scoop them all into his hands but was stopped when only one color of seven stared back up at him.

The pure fear in Chen's eyes made Baekhyun rush to his side. He pushed Chen's frozen hands aside to turn the power orbs over in his hands; each member's symbol was there, but the orbs were dull. All color and vibrancy had been drained from each one, except for Baekhyun's. He pocketed the orb of light, before heaving a sigh.

"Is...Is this okay?" asked Chen, "Did I make a mistake, hitting that button?"

Baekhyun wordlessly shook his head as he stood. He began to scan the horizon, watching as stars disappeared and the sun peeked through the city's high-rises. He squinted a bit to stare at that burning ball of gas, then turned to stare at the moon, then back again.

"What are you doing?" an anxious Chen couldn't sit still as he shot to his feet.

Baekhyun placed a hand on Chen's back, angling him towards the moon and pointed upwards. "The moon's full. If I can cause a solar eclipse...the sun's corona will imbue those orbs with EXO's powers again."

Chen wasn't following. He stared at Baekhyun for answers, who in reply said, "Our powers come from stars. It doesn't matter which star it is or which stage it is in; as long as it's corona is visible through an eclipse, the orbs that hold our powers can be recharged. Albeit, a younger star like Earth's sun is more suitable than our red giant back home. More potent."

Chen shot Baekhyun a look. "They taught you all that in your world, but not ours?"

Baekhyun gave his companion a casual shrug, before turning his attention back to the orbs spread across the concrete. He lifted one in his hands; Sehun's, which still held the faintest of glows. Pressing his thumb into the triangular design, it clicked under the weight of Baekhyun's digit, and sat still for three slow seconds.

 _Clink!_ The symbol resurfaced. The orb began to glow in Baekhyun's grip, but it didn't glow with Sehun's green. A soft pink drenched the orb instead, and on the opposite side, a new symbol appeared. An hourglass.

Chen's eyebrows raised. "That's..."

"Sehun's former counterpart's power," finished Baekhyun, turning the sphere over in his hands, "Since it no longer belongs to him, it's free for anyone's use. ...And, I'll use it to bring us closer to that eclipse."

"And the others will be okay while you do that?" Chen asked.

Baekhyun didn't say a word for a moment, just looked down at the orb in his hands. "I trust them," he breathed, "We'll all be okay in the end."

~  
D.O and Kai were the first to awake, still trapped in the digital world. They stretched aching muscles and popped air bubbles in joints as they stood to their feet. When they wiped the sleep from their eyes, and the haziness of a sun imbued with darkness hit their faces, they realized the severity of their situation.

They, with EXO, were alone. No food, no water, no shelter. They were stuck, and might be forever.

"So, you got your powers...how...?" D.O struck up the conversation to pass the time.

Kai sighed as he thought, leaning back to rest on the heels of his palms. "The eight of us are from an exoplanet. We were split into even groups, and each of us had a counterpart in another world that shared the same skies as us. Chen never had one, but once we all get home, I'm sure you'll fit the bill."

"Once we all get home, I'm going back to work and never getting involved in something like this again," declared D.O, "I just want to live a peaceful life as a baker."

When Kai's face was painted with inauthentic offense, D.O placed a hand on his companion's bicep and reassured him, "You'll always be welcome to stop by and visit my shop."

Kai's face instantly lit up, and D.O's did in turn. As they smiled at one another, Kai found his eyes gravitating towards D.O's heart-shaped smile. His eyes snapped back up quickly when D.O raised an eyebrow to call him out for staring. The hot flush of Kai's face only got brighter when D.O's eyes darted between his own, and his lips.

When their eyes locked again, not a word had to be said between them. They were stuck here, and for the time being, the rest of EXO was fast asleep; enjoying themselves a little wouldn't hurt.

Kai was the first to close the gap between them with a hand cradling the back of D.O's head. D.O's head was sent spinning by the small touch, his two hands coming to cup Kai's cheeks as their lips danced.

One of Kai's arms came to snake around D.O's waist, and as his partner melted into the warmth of his body, the fingers of Kai's free hand snapped; and _poof!_ There they were, in the shelter of a ruined house, away from disturbing EXO (and away from any prying eyes.)

D.O didn't intensify the kiss, instead simply enjoying the sweet tenderness of a first kiss with a new lover. Kai's grip around his waist was strong, but the kisses he planted on his lips and cheeks and chin were as soft as feathers. When the two changed roles and D.O kissed across Kai's cheeks, he felt his worries slip away with each smooch. It didn't matter that he was trapped in an alternate reality, it didn't matter that he wasn't living a peaceful life; the only thing that did was that he was here, now, with Kai.

Reluctantly, the two broke apart to catch their breath. Their chests rose and fell rapidly as they stared into one another's eyes, pupils blown out and faces flush a rosy red. Kai laughed a little, and so did D.O. Small chuckles turned into full laughs, which turned into side-splitting laughter. In that moment, D.O almost didn't want to go back to baking bread and pastries. He wanted to stay with Kai, for as long as possible.

When their laughing fits died down, and they wiped at tears in the corners of their eyes, the pair were taken aback by a sudden darkness consuming them completely. They shot to their feet, looking around rapidly for not only the source, but for the rest of EXO.

They were guided back to the group by the light of Chanyeol's flame. Once they were within earshot, Chanyeol's voice boomed, "There's a solar eclipse!"

"It worked!"

Baekhyun slid the power orb into Chen's unexpecting hands as he shucked off his jacket. He motioned for Chen to make lots of room with haste, Chen opting to sit near the edge of the roof while he watched Baekhyun work his magic.

With feet shoulder-width apart, Baekhyun raised his head and hands to the sky, towards the sun's twinkling corona behind its mask of the moon. Multi-colored lights danced around Baekhyun like the Northern Lights, each color of each EXO member's power orb flowing passed him. With a wave of his right hand, the lights became one multicolored mass that floated between Baekhyun's palms.

Baekhyun flexed his shoulders, his bio-luminescence becoming brighter and brighter with each passing second. Eventually, Chen had to cover his eyes from the blinding light. What he didn't see was Baekhyun thrusting his hands forward with all his might, shooting that multicolored mass and his own radiant energy straight towards the sun.

The beam of light shot across the city like a comet, citizens taking photos with their smartphones and watching in awe. By the time Chen uncovered his eyes, the beam had already struck the corona.

Nine pairs of eyes watched in awe as the sun's corona began to dance in a flurry of their orb colors. The radiant crown spun and spun, each member's signature hue coming down to grab them by the hand and take them away from their current situation. Although fearful, each man allowed himself to be swept off his feet and zipped to their next destination.

In the wake of the departure of seven, D.O and Kai remained. The purple and gray bands waved to them, waiting for them to reach out their hands. They looked to each other, then to the eclipse.

With fingers locked, they made their ascent back home, as one.


End file.
